


A Love Like That

by bananzer



Series: An Extra Burglar [3]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Less than 1000 words, kili is hopelessly in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:49:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23416267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bananzer/pseuds/bananzer
Summary: Kili finds Tauriel on a balcony overlooking the festivities
Relationships: Fíli (Tolkien)/Original Female Character(s), Kíli (Tolkien)/Tauriel (Hobbit Movies)
Series: An Extra Burglar [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1539769
Comments: 9
Kudos: 40





	A Love Like That

**Author's Note:**

> Fits in with An Extra Burglar canon

Kili finds her on a balcony overlooking the festivities, seated on a bench and leaning forward, her elbows resting on the railing before her and her chin on her long, thin hands.

"Tauriel," he says, coming to stand beside her, "you're missing all the fun."

She turns her head to smile at him. Like this, with her sitting and him standing, their faces are level, and Kili almost can't handle it. "I'm quite happy here, thank you. It’s fascinating to watch."

Kili leans on his hands, trying to see what she sees. He guesses it is rather interesting, being removed from the party like this, watching it from up here, the dancers swirling about the floor, the cooks and servers bustling back and forth, gaggles of people crowded around, drinking, laughing, talking… it's a glorious, joyful cacophony, one that Erebor has not heard in nigh two centuries. And, at the center of this whole party, are Kili’s brother and his wife, celebrating the announcement of their first pregnancy. 

Fili, despite his dislike of parties and big crowds, looks utterly over the moon, spinning Cassia round the dance floor, their matching wedding beads glimmering in the light. 

"He's disgustingly besotted with her," Kili says fondly as he watches Fili dip the hobbit lass dramatically. "It's quite funny, really."

"I think it's sweet," Tauriel says. She's also watching the dancing couple, a wistful smile on her face. "I used to think a love like that only ever existed in tragic tales."

"A love like what?" He asks.

"Devoted. Singular. Without falter or second thoughts. I thought it didn't exist."

Kili laughs. "Why would you think that?"

"I suppose because I only ever heard of that sort of undying devotion in stories that always seemed to end so sadly. Findulas and Turin, Andreth and Aegnor… Beren and Luthien, as well, to an extent… all ill-fated, all doomed to end in tears."

"Are you telling me that you think my brother and Cassia will be torn apart by some horrible tragedy?" Kili asks. _Or me and you?_ He thinks, but does not add.

"Not at all," she says, smacking him lightly upside the head. "Clearly they won't. Don't be morbid."

Kili laughs, ducking away. "I was joking. I know you didn't mean that!"

Tauriel huffs and rolls her eyes at him. "But anyway, now I know true love really does exist."

"We dwarves are big believers in the concept of true love," Kili says, resuming his earlier position. He watches Tauriel out of the corner of his eye. She's resumed watching the dancers as well, still smiling softly.

"Did you ever think you would find it?" She asks him, "like your brother did?"

 _I already have_ , he wants to say, but instead he says, "aye. I did."

She turns her head to the side to look at him head on. "And have you?" She asks. And Kili realizes. He realizes she knows what he just thought, how he feels about her, that this is her roundabout way of asking him to say it again. To confirm that he still feels the same, even after all those years they were apart.

"I have," he says. "Have you?"

She nods, eyes flicking to his lips. "I have."

In that moment, with those two words, he feels like he is at the absolute top of the world, like he could leap over the mountain in a single bound, like he is as tall as the sky. He feels like jumping around like an idiot and shouting his joy to the heavens, all dignity be damned. But he doesn't. Because just then, she places her hand on his chest and that light touch anchors him in place. Beneath her hand, hidden under his tunic is the ugly scar from the wound that nearly took his life. "Don't let us end in tragedy," she murmurs.

"I would never," he says, and means it.

"And don't you die on me."

"I've already almost done it twice. I've no intention of doing it ever again. Hurts too much."

She laughs, leaning her forehead against his shoulder. "I mean it."

"I know you do. So do I."

Her hair smells like flowers and fresh air and for a moment he thinks he might go mad from it, when she pulls back.

"I love you," she blurts. He grins, so stupidly wide that thinks his face might split in two.

" _Amrâlimê_ ," he breathes.

"I still don't know what that means," she says, sitting back so she can see his face. He beams at her, smiling somehow even wider and he's sure he looks a fool. 

"I think you do."

"Tell me anyway, Kili."

Oh Mahal, the way she says his name makes him go a tingly with joy.

"It's easier if I show you," he murmurs. With that, he takes her face in his hands and kisses her, soft and gentle and slow. 

"Ah," she says when they part, "so that's what it means." And she kisses him again.


End file.
